Club History

Introduction

The historical summary below was prepared by E. Andrew Mills. A
comprehensive list of the Club's major
concerts has been prepared by Club historian, J. Richard W. Hartnett.

The Early Years

The Mendelssohn Club was founded in 1909 by Dean T.J. Bradley of the
Albany College of Pharmacy and Dr. Frank Sill Rogers, organist and
choirmaster for St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Rogers, the founding
conductor, was a distinguished gentleman with a large mustache and
pince-nez glasses. With the men from his choir as a nucleus, he used
his connections with other choirmasters to recruit male singers. Soon,
there was hardly a male choir singer in the city who wasn't a member!

Rehearsals were at St. Peter's Parish House on State Street. The Club
performed their concerts in white tie and tails, and also sang at many
of Albany's civic and social events. Some of the original members
continued to sing with the group for thirty or forty years.

With Dr. Rogers' death in 1934, there was a succession of conductors,
including accompanist Stuart Swart, noted composer and arranger Mark Andrews,
T. Frederick H. Candlyn, and J. Lawrence Slater.

Early Mendelssohn Club concerts featured performances by guest artists
including Marian Anderson and Nelson Eddy.

The Middle Years

In the early 1940's Reinald Werrenrath was named conductor. A former
leading baritone with the Metropolitan Opera, "Werrie" was a tall,
imposing gentleman with a full head of white hair. Through his New York
connections, many past and present opera stars were guest artists at the
Club concerts. It was not unusual to have a noted composer or arranger
appear to hear his work performed!

In 1952, Joel Dolven was appointed conductor. Joel was the first former
member to become conductor. He had joined the Club in 1936 while a music
teacher at Albany High School. He was Minister of Music at Westminster
Presbyterian Church, and Professor of Music at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute.

Under his leadership the quality of performance hit new heights. He
remained conductor until 1967. In 1974 the Joel Dolven Vocal Awards
were established in his honor, to encourage the study of vocal music.

The Club sang the next five concerts under guest conductors who were
candidates for the permanent position. In 1968 Carl Steubing was named
conductor. Carl, Director of Music for the Scotia-Glenville Schools,
remained conductor for the next five years.

The Recent Past

In 1974 J. Lawrence Coulter was appointed conductor. Larry brought with
him a rich background in both education and professional performance.
He had been Professor of Music at four colleges, a vocal and instrumental
soloist, a composer, an arranger, and a conductor. He was Performing Arts
Specialist for the NYS Education Department. During summers he also was
conductor of the Yankee Male Chorus. He remained conductor until 1984.

Again, in 1984-85, the Club performed under two guest conductors, David
Janower and Myron Hermance. Myron Hermance was named conductor in the
fall of 1985 and remained at the helm through the fall of 1988.

From 1989 to 2001, Jeffrey L. Vredenburg was the Club's conductor. Jeff,
a graduate of Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, with a Master's Degree
from SUNY Albany, is Director of Choruses for the Saratoga Springs Schools.
Through his leadership, the Club continued to grow and prosper, culminating
in a performance at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, which received
a standing ovation.

Dr. Victor Klimash, a professor of music at Union College, directed the
Club from the fall of 2001 through the spring of 2011, and was thus our
director at the time of our centennial in 2009.

The Club Today

In Fall 2011, the Club welcomed back Jeffrey Vredenburg as conductor.

The Mendelssohn Club of today flourishes in spirit and in song. Half of
the current membership joined the Club in the last ten years. The
Mendelssohn Club is one of the landmark institutions in the Northeast,
and a unique part of the cultural life of the City of Albany.